Cooling Off Heat Island Effects Makes Redding More Livable for Everyone
Warmer global temperatures means more heat for us living in the north state. Over the past 5 years we have seen extreme heat last for longer periods in our summer months. Heat related deaths (including in Shasta County) represent a public health emergency that will certainly worsen as climate change increases global temperatures.
Heat islands can make extreme heat even worse.
These heat islands disproportionately affect lower income areas and residents living in downtown areas that lack vegetation. Heat islands contain mostly human-made impervious surfaces (asphalt and concrete) like buildings, streets and roads, sidewalks, rooftops, and parking lots, and they have little vegetation (trees, shrubs, and grass). These impervious surfaces absorb and trap heat during the day and slowly release it at night which results in higher nighttime temperatures.
Can Nature Help Us ?
Nature can be used to provide important services for communities by protecting them against flooding or excessive heat, or helping to improve air, soil and water quality. When nature is harnessed by people and used as an infrastructural system it is called “green infrastructure”.
Green infrastructure occurs at all scales – in homes, neighborhoods, and entire communities. Green infrastructure is essential to creating resilient communities in the face of climate change!
What actions we can take to help mitigate heat islands in our community and ensure that our region will be livable as temperatures rise?
Preserve and plant trees:
Trees are “air conditioning for cities,” as air temperature under trees can be more than 10 degrees cooler than a nearby unshaded area.
Trees block solar radiation, filter particulates, absorb pollutant gases, and provide critical “evapotranspiration” benefits, converting the sun’s energy into water vapor which cools the air and utilizes solar energy that would have otherwise created more heat.
Prioritize and enforce robust tree ordinances:
Localities that prioritize increasing tree canopy have implemented laws or ordinances that force developers to preserve trees, ensure tree density, plant minimum trees per lot, install trees shading sidewalks, and protect tree roots during construction in addition to levying fines for non-compliance.
Learn more about Redding’s Tree Ordinance HERE
Encourage City Planners to use purposeful planning: mandate open spaces, incentivize optimal landscaping, and increase shade to promote increased walkability.
Require developers to use green roofs and cool roofing materials.
Green Roofs are 30° to 40°F cooler than conventional roofs, redirect solar energy through evapotranspiration, help with air pollution, and keep buildings cooler, reducing reliance on air conditioning which increases energy demand and pollution.
Mandate pervious or cooler materials for non-roof hardscapes.
Increase shade percentages in parking lots by creating minimum tree amounts and incentivize covered solar parking structures to mitigate heat island effects in parking lots.